Kidnapped
by yasha012
Summary: When Sesshomaru is turned into a child and gets kidnapped, it's up to Kagome and Inuyasha to save him. His captor wants Tetsusaiga, Bakusaiga, So'ounga, and Tenseiga before they'll free him. But So'ounga's gone and Tenseiga's broken in half! Kagome and Inuyasha rush to find him before it's too late. "If my demands are not met in one week's time, HE WILL DIE." Possible SesshKag
1. Abducted

**AUTHOR'S NOTE! IMPORTANT! : Sesshomaru's personality will likely be slightly different from the anime and manga. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's group are NOT enemies. They are allies, and have been traveling together for nearly a year. Rin and Jaken don't exist. Sesshomaru doesn't only carries Bakusaiga. He doesn't have the yellow sash, or ANY of his markings. Kagome and Inuyasha are NOT in a romance. They are just friends in this story.**

**SESSH/KAG PAIRING.**

**Genres: Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Romance, Horror on Sesshomaru's part.**

**Description: When Sesshomaru is turned into a child and gets kidnapped, it's up to Kagome and Inuyasha to save him. His captor wants Testsusaiga, So'ounga, Tenseiga, and Bakusaiga before they'll let him go. But the problem is, So'ounga was destroyed in a past battle and Tenseiga's broken in half! Time is running short, and Kagome and Inuyasha rush to try to find him before it's too late. "If my demands are not met in one week's time, HE WILL DIE."**

**Disclaimer: I do not own or claim Inuyasha. **

It happened quickly, unexpectedly. He was walking alone through a forest, trying to think. He really had a lot on his mind. One thing in particular was bothering him.

_Kagome._

She had been acting different lately. She'd acting much nicer to him than normal. She'd also started smiling at him a lot. It made him uncomfortable every time she directed her smile at him, and he didn't know why. He had a feeling it had to do with the strange, warm feeling he felt whenever he was around her. Maybe it was also why his pulse quickened whenever he saw her.

He shook his head lightly, trying to clear his mind. He knew he was getting distracted, and distraction was dangerous. But he couldn't help it. She just wouldn't leave his mind… His mind grew clouded again and he continued to walk aimlessly through the forest.

He noticed it a second too late.

Someone appeared behind him and attacked. He whirled around, but before he could do anything, he was engulfed in a bright white light and everything went black.

* * *

"Where is he?" Kagome wondered out loud.

Everyone was sitting in the field where they'd been since the night before. Of course, most of them weren't literally sitting. Shippo was running around playing with Kirara, Sango was training at the edge of the forest, and Miroku was spying on her. Kagome was the only one who was actually sitting. Inuyasha was standing beside her with his hands in his sleeves.

"Who?" He asked, glancing at her.

"Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha shrugged.

"I don't know. He walked off a while ago."

"Do you know where he went?"

"No. When I asked him, he just said he was taking a walk. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Inuyasha seemed unconcerned, and Kagome forced herself to relax. It wasn't unusual for Sesshomaru to take a long walk by himself like this. Surely she was getting worried for nothing. But honestly, she couldn't help it. She had a horrible feeling that something very bad was going to happen. Or perhaps, already HAD happened. She once again forced herself to relax and stay calm.

_'I'm worrying over nothing. Even if there is something dangerous here, I know he'll be fine. Sesshomaru can take care of himself.'_

Once that thought ran through her mind, she was able to relax and returned to watching Shippo running around with Kirara. When sundown came and he still hadn't returned, Kagome began to worry again. She once again brought it up to Inuyasha, but he just brushed it off.

"Kagome, he's _fine._ He can take care of himself. Besides, it's not like he hasn't done this before. He'll be here in the morning, I promise." He said reassuringly.

"I know, but… I just have a bad feeling, that's all." Kagome said quietly.

"About what?" Sango asked as she walked into the camp.

"Sesshomaru's not back yet, so Kagome's getting worried." Shippo answered, twirling his top around with a bored expression on his face.

"Why are you worried, Kagome? He is very capable of protecting himself." Miroku said as he sat down next to Sango.

"I know that. Like I said, I just have a bad feeling." Kagome said. "It's probably nothing, though. Inuyasha's right. I'm sure he'll be here in the morning."

When she was done speaking, she picked up her backpack and began rummaging through it.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm _starving._" She said, pulling out some ramen from her backpack.

Inuyasha's mouth watered and everyone eyed her food hungrily. Kagome giggled at Inuyasha's expression.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said with a smile.

_'Jeez, you'd think he's never eaten before in his life by the way he was staring!'_

By nightfall everyone was done eating and the fire was blazing. They all sat around and talked for a while before settling down and going to bed. As she was lying there, Kagome couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"He'll be here in the morning." She whispered softly to herself as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Kagome woke up in the morning to the sound of someone moving around. She sat up slightly and rubbed her eyes sleepily. When she opened them, she could see Inuyasha sniffing the air, almost frantically. When he didn't seem to smell anything, he quickly moved to another spot and began to sniff again. Kagome quickly sat up, instantly realizing something was wrong.

"Inuyasha? What's the matter? We're not under attack again, are we?" She asked.

He quickly shook his head and turned to her.

"He's not here."

"What?"

It took her a moment to figure out what he was talking about. When it finally hit her, her eyes widened. She quickly got to her feet.

"W-Where is he? Surely he's nearby, isn't he?"

Inuyasha shook his head again, worry clearly showing in his eyes. He wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit protective of his brother. Sesshomaru was the only family he had left, and he didn't want to lose him. He knew it was foolish since Sesshomaru could take care of himself, but still.

"No. I don't know where he is. He can't pick up his scent anywhere. It just… vanished."

"But you must be able to smell _something_. He was here just yesterday!"

"I know, but it's gone!"

By now, everyone else had woken up. They were all quickly getting up and heading toward the two of them.

"What's going on?" Sango asked worriedly.

"Sesshomaru's gone. Scent and all." Inuyasha said, quickly sniffing the air again to double-check.

"Gone? But how?" Sango asked in confusion.

"How could he just disappear?" Shippo asked from where he was perched on Sango's shoulder.

"And how could his scent also disappear?' Miroku asked, clearly just as confused as everyone else.

"I don't know! All I know is that it was here yesterday, and it's not now!" Inuyasha said in frustration.

"We have to look for him!" Kagome said.

"Kagome's right. Something obviously happened. He may be hurt." Miroku said.

"Yeah, come on!" Sango agreed.

"Kagome and I will check the west side of the forest, you and Miroku check the east side." Inuyasha said quickly. We'll meet back here when we're finished."

Everyone agreed and quickly took off. After a few hours of useless searching, Kagome and Inuyasha came across a small clearing. It was almost completely surrounded with dense forest, and it was only wide enough for about three or four people to stand in at once. There wasn't anything there but ankle-high grass. Just as they were about to move on, Kagome noticed something. She quickly walked to the center of the clearing and bent down. Sitting there half-hidden by the grass was a crumpled up piece of paper. Inuyasha quickly came over and picked it up.

"There's an unfamiliar scent on this." He said.

Kagome took it from him and carefully opened it up while Inuyasha silently memorized the scent, just in case. There was writing on the page, and they quickly read it.

**_My dear Kagome, how nice it is to speak to you. I realize this is short notice, but I just HAD to speak with you. You see, I recently came across something I'm certain belongs to you. I took the liberty of procuring it for you, even taking the liberty of putting it to sleep. Such a dangerous opponent… But as a child he stands no chance against me._**

Kagome's eyes widened as well as Inuyasha's.

_'Child?!'_

**_It wasn't easy, sneaking up on him like that. But I have to admit, I was quite lucky. It seems he was a bit distracted for some reason. Do you know why? I suppose I'll let you figure that one out on your own. _**

**_Now then, down to business. I didn't do write this just to chat. You see, this is a RANSOM. And I assure you, it is no joke. As you have probably already figured out, I have in fact turned your strongest ally into a mere child. But he is only a child physically, mind you. Once he wakes up, he will be very much aware of what happens to him. _**

**_I suppose I should probably tell you what I want. Although it will be much more fun watching you scramble to figure it out for yourself… But alas, that will never work. What I want is simple. I want the swords. Testsusaiga, So'ounga, Tenseiga, and Bakusaiga. I already have one of them, so that makes things a bit easier for you. You can thank me for that later. But know this, Kagome. If my demands are not met in one week's time, he WILL die. And I will make his death most painful._**

**_Not to gloat, but I am highly skilled in nearly every form of torture. I suggest you hurry. The longer you take, the longer he suffers. I won't kill him yet, but I do so enjoy watching people in pain… Good luck, Kagome. _**

**_You're going to need it._**

Kagome felt frozen.

_'This can't be real… It can't…'_

Inuyasha was just as shocked.

_'Sesshomaru…? A _child…_?'_

After a moment, he snapped out of it. He tugged on Kagome's arm urgently, trying to bring her back.

"Kagome, come on! We have to tell the others _now_!" He said desperately.

She seemed to snap out of it and nodded numbly. She quickly got onto his back, paper in hand, and they took off back to the campsite. Thankfully, the others were already there waiting for them. Inuyasha quickly told them what they'd found and showed them the paper. Miroku's eyes widened and Sango seemed to freeze. Miroku spoke first.

"What do we do, Inuyasha?" He asked.

"Well, we can't just give him the swords! He'll be unbeatable!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Not only that, but So'ounga was destroyed a long time ago. Plus Tenseiga broke a while back…" Sango said.

"But we can't just do nothing!" Kagome protested worriedly. "We have to do _something_!"

"I know, I know!" Inuyasha said, clearly trying to think.

There was silence for a moment.

"Wait! Inuyasha, you said you caught an unfamiliar scent on this, right?" Kagome said quickly.

"Yeah, so?" Inuyasha replied, twitching his nose slightly.

"_So,_ see if you can track it!" Kagome exclaimed.

He blinked, then nodded in understanding. If they could track it… Then maybe, just maybe, they'd be able to find this person before it was too late. After a moment of nervous silence, Inuyasha's ears perked up.

"Did you find it?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, I definitely got it."

"Well come on then, let's go!" Kagome said before Inuyasha stopped her.

"Nuh-uh, you're all staying here." He said in his no-nonsense voice.

"Why not?!" Sango demanded.

"Yeah, it's not like we'll get in your way!" Shippo agreed.

"It's not that! This guy's obviously dangerous and _extremely _powerful! He turned Sesshomaru into a _child_!" Inuyasha pointed out in frustration.

There was silence as the truth in his words slowly sank in. After a moment, Kagome spoke, her eyes shining defiantly.

"I'm going with you, whether you like it or not." She said.

He started to argue, but she quickly silenced him.

"And if you try to stop me, I will S-I-T you into oblivion."

He quickly shut his mouth with an audible _click_ of his teeth.

"Fine. But just you. I don't want to put everyone's lives at risk." He reluctantly agreed.

She nodded and somehow managed to convince the others to stay. She quickly packed some things into her backpack (including the note) and got on his back. With a final farewell to their friends, they quickly took off.

* * *

He was confused as he slowly drifted into consciousness. He sat up groggily, trying to ignore how shaky and weak he felt. What in the world happened? He looked around slowly, trying to figure out where he was. It was no use though. The room was dark and unfamiliar. If it weren't for the fact that he was a demon, he wouldn't have been able to see anything at all. The room was small and empty except for him. The walls and floor were made out of thick, dark stone. The floor was cold. He looked forward. Just a few feet in front was a strong imposing door. It was made out of some kind of metal. He slowly stood up. Ordinary metal such as this was surprisingly weak in the hands of demons, as well as this stone. He walked over to the door and put a hand on it. He quickly pulled it back in confusion. He looked at his hand, his mind slowly trying to figure out why his hand looked so small. Then all at once, all his memories returned to him. His eyes widened in shock as realization hit him.

_'I'm a child…'_


	2. Day One: We Will Save You

"Damn it!" Inuyasha shouted as he skidded to a stop.

"What?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"I just realized something, that's what!"

"What could you _possibly _have realized just now?"

"That guy has _Bakusaiga_! Tetsusaiga doesn't stand a chance against that!"

Kagome's eyes widened.

"Oh-no…"

"Exactly!"

"Wait a minute, we don't know if the guy can even use it!"

"Do you _really_ want to take that chance?"

Kagome thought for a moment.

"No…"

"Exactly my point!"

"Well what do we do?"

"I don't know! That's the problem!"

Kagome sighed.

"Whatever. We'll figure it out when we get there. We don't have time to waste!" She said desperately.

Inuyasha nodded.

"Right!" He said as he took off once more.

A while later, Kagome noticed Inuyasha had changed direction. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" He asked.

"Where are we going?" She asked. "Why did you change directions?"

He skidded to a stop and pointed to what looked like the scene of an old battle.

"That," he said, "is why."

She followed his gaze and saw a huge crater. Inuyasha walked over to it, and her eyes widened when she saw what was in it. In the center of the crater was Tenseiga.

_And it was broken in half._

Inuyasha set her down before carefully making his way down into the crater and picking up the two pieces. He climbed back out again and Kagome took the pieces from him. She carefully put them in her backpack before looking at him again.

"Why did you get these?" She asked, unsure she wanted to hear the answer.

He hesitated a moment before responding.

"Just in case." He said quietly before picking her up and taking off again.

* * *

"Isn't there something we can do?" Sango asked as she and Miroku continued their sparring match.

"I'm afraid not. Inuyasha made it perfectly clear that he didn't want us tagging along." Miroku replied, quickly dodging Sango's fist.

"I don't see why!" She said angrily. "It's not like we'd be getting in his way!"

"I agree." Miroku said calmly. "But we can't do anything to change his mind."

"I know…" She said.

"Besides, he already left. Even on Kirara, I doubt we'd be able to catch up. He's probably half way there by now." Miroku pointed out.

"Yeah." Sango agreed. "He probably is."

"But why can't we _try_?" Shippo asked from where he sat a few feet away from them.

Sango and Miroku stopped sparring for a moment to consider this.

"Shippo has a point…" Miroku said thoughtfully.

"Yeah! I mean, it's not like this'll be the first time we've defied are so-called leader." Sango said.

"Sesshomaru's our friend too! Who's to say we can't try to help too?!" Shippo demanded as he jumped onto Sango's shoulder.

"It's settled then." She said. "We're going whether Inuyasha likes it or not."

Kirara stood up, meowing in agreement, and transformed for them. They all quickly got on and took off, following Inuyasha's scent.

* * *

By the time noon came around, they had traveled a significant distance. Kagome was getting hungry, but she didn't want to stop.

_The longer you take, the longer he suffers._

Those words were haunting her. She didn't want him to suffer. It killed her whenever she saw him injured.

_I am highly skilled in nearly every form of torture._

_I won't kill him yet, but I do so enjoy watching people in pain…_

He fought back tears. She wanted so badly to switch places with him. She would rather she suffered than him…

_Such a dangerous opponent… But as a child he stands no chance against me._

It was true. As a child, there was no way he could defend himself. Even a demon was too weak as a child. A human adult could easily be defeated by a demon child, but this person was clearly no human. She wasn't even entirely sure he was a demon…

_It wasn't easy, sneaking up on him like that._

_I have to admit, I was quite lucky._

_It seems he was a bit distracted for some reason._

But why? Why was he distracted? She knew him well enough to know that that wasn't normal. He wasn't careless. He never let himself get distracted. So what could have been distracting him? It was obviously something important…

_This is a RANSOM._

_I assure you, it is no joke._

She felt anger build up inside of her. Who did this guy think he was? Her anger quickly faded. He was obviously powerful, if he was able to turn Sesshomaru into a child… He had the power to back up his threats. He nearly shuddered at the thought.

_I have in turned your strongest ally into a mere child…_

But how? How did he do that? She'd heard stories before about witches who were supposedly able to do such things, but everyone she'd encountered so far assured her that there were no such thing as witches. Even in this era. So if it wasn't a witch, who was it?

_I want the swords._

What could they possibly want with the swords? As far as she knew, no one could use Bakusaiga and Tenseiga except Sesshomaru. She knew for a fact that only Inuyasha could use Tetsusaiga. Not only that, but So'ounga took control of whoever touched it. What use could they have for those swords?

_Know this, Kagome. _

_If my demands are not met in one week's time, he WILL die._

_And I will make his death most painful…_

She squeezed her eyes shut tight, fighting back tears.

'_Sesshomaru… We will save you. I promise…'_

* * *

He woke up coughing. He instantly tasted blood, nearly making him cough even more. He was really trying not to cough anymore, though. It hurt his throat… He tried to move but quickly stopped for two reasons. One: it hurt _way_ too much, and two: he was still restrained. Thankfully though, his captor was no longer there. That meant he was safe. At least, for now. Now if only he could get off of this table… He struggled to break free for a moment, effectively wasting what little energy he had. Finally, he gave up. What was the use, anyway? He didn't stand a chance… Not like this, not as a _child._ He blinked slowly, struggling to stay awake. He had to stay awake… He _had_ to.

_Kagome._

He wanted to see her again. And the only way that would ever happen was if he somehow managed to free himself. But he knew. As he drifted into unconsciousness, he _knew._

He couldn't escape on his own.


	3. Day Two Part One: Unexpected Enemies

"You bastard! Get out of my way!" Inuyasha shouted as he sliced through their final opponent.

He and Kagome had been traveling nonstop for several hours when a large group of demons had suddenly attacked them.

"Do you think that man sent them?" Kagome asked.

"Maybe." Inuyasha replied.

"But why would he do that?" She asked.

"I have a feeling that he really doesn't want us to get there on time." Inuyasha muttered quietly.

Without giving her a chance to respond, he picked her up again and took off. He wasn't going to let that man win. He refused to let his brother die.

* * *

"Hmm… It seems you're stronger than you look, Inuyasha."

He turned away from the mirror he'd been watching his targets through. He stood up from his seat and opened a door.

"Mugo! Hakari! Come here!" He called into the darkness.

Almost instantly his two servants appeared. They looked at him expectantly, waiting for their orders. He pointed to the mirror.

"See those two?" He asked.

They nodded.

"I want you to find them, and _end_ them." He said. "Don't bother coming back if you fail. Otherwise, you'll be joining our prisoner in the dungeon."

They nodded again obediently.

"One last thing." He said. "Get me the swords."

He dismissed them, and they took off toward their newest prey.

_'Those fools… They think they can come here without meeting my demands? They'll soon see that the error of their ways… And by then… It will be too late. They'll never achieve their goal…'_

He laughed lightly to himself. He sat back down and watched Inuyasha run for a while. Eventually, he grew bored. And he knew the perfect way to entertain himself. With another laugh, he headed down to the dungeon.

_'I do so enjoy seeing people in pain…'_

* * *

"Inuyasha, we need to stop!" Kagome said.

"Why?!" Inuyasha demanded.

"You're injured!" She said. "How do you expect to go on with wounds like that?"

"Keh! They're not serious!" He said.

"Yes they are! Just look at yourself!" Kagome yelled.

It took around ten minutes, but she finally managed to get him to stop long enough to treat his wounds.

"You need to be more careful!" She said sternly. "How do you expect to beat this guy if you keep getting injured like this?"

"I'll beat him no matter what! A few scratches aren't going to stop me!" Inuyasha growled.

"They're more than just scratches!" She said. "Would scratches have made you bleed this much?"

"Hell no!"

"Exactly my point!"

"Keh!"

Kagome sighed.

_'What am I going to do with him? If he keeps carelessly charging into battles like this, we won't stand a chance against that man. At this rate, I'm not even sure we'll make it in time…'_

* * *

"Sango, are you sure Kirara has his scent?" Shippo asked from where he sat on her shoulder.

"Positive. She knows Inuyasha's scent just as well as she knows ours." Sango replied.

"But I think we're lost." Shippo said.

"Why would you think that?" Sango asked.

"Well, we _are_ above some unknown forest that seems to go on forever." Miroku pointed out from behind them.

"Relax guys, we'll be fine." Sango assured them. "Besides, we've been in worse places before."

"That's true…" Miroku said.

"Yeah. Being inside of a giant spider version of Naraku was _much _worse." Shippo agreed.

"Exactly." Sango said. "And anyway, it's not like we can't defend ourselves."

"Most of us, anyway." Miroku said.

"Yeah, what about me?" Shippo demanded.

"We'll protect you, don't worry." Sango said.

Just then, Kirara dove downward toward the trees and two creatures flew over their heads. They were going unbelievably fast, and didn't even stop to fight them. It seemed as though they were headed after some other target.

"What _were_ those things?" Shippo asked.

"I don't know…" Sango said.

"Whatever they were, they're headed in the same direction we're headed." Miroku said.

"You don't think…?" Sango asked worriedly.

Miroku nodded.

"Come on Kirara, follow them!" Sango said. "Kagome and Inuyasha are in danger!"

* * *

Inuyasha dodged and weaved, expertly maneuvering through the trees as he ran. He was amazed that the man's scent hadn't faded yet. Not that he was complaining, of course. He dodged another tree and jumped over a small stream.

'_What's with this place?'_ Kagome wondered. _'It's like it goes on forever…'_

She stayed silent as Inuyasha continued to run. They were both determined to make it out of the forest before nightfall. If they didn't, then she had a feeling that they'd never make it in time. Suddenly, she heard a sound that made her blood run cold and the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It was an eerie sound, similar to that of a wolf. Only it was much more ferocious. It was cold and bloodthirsty, and was by far the most frightening thing she'd ever heard. It was soon joined by a second howl. The second one was a bit deeper, leading her to believe that it was a male. Inuyasha froze when he heard them. A moment later, he was running full speed in the same direction he'd been going.

'_This is bad…'_ He thought as he continued to run. _'Those things… Their auras are _huge_… There's no way I can fight them by myself. Especially not in this condition.'_

Suddenly, he regretted leaving the rest of the group behind. It was times like these where he really relied on his friends for help. Even if he never asked for it. Suddenly, two huge creatures landed in front of them, crushing trees and smashing rocks as they hit the ground. Before he had a chance to react, a bright light engulfed them and they changed into more humanoid forms. They looked to be twins, with the same cold silver eyes and soft platinum hair. They had pale, smooth skin that was a similar color to Sesshomaru's. They were both wearing black outfits, and almost looked like they were assassins. The male was a few inches taller than the female. After a moment of silence, the female spoke.

"Are you Inuyasha?" She asked in a smooth, emotionless voice.

"What's it to you?" He replied.

"That's him, Mugo." She said to her companion.

"I can see that." He replied smoothly.

He took a step forward.

"Give me the swords." He said.

"Like hell!" Inuyasha said.

"Do you want to save your brother or not?" The female asked.

"Hakari is right." Mugo said. "We have been sent to retrieve the swords."

"If you don't meet our master's demands, your brother will die." Hakari said.

"I know that already!" Inuyasha said. "But why the hell should I give them to you now?! How do I know you won't just take off with them?!"

"Very well." Mugo said. "We gave you a chance at life, and you've carelessly thrown it away."

"Now we get to have some fun." Hakari said, her emotionless façade dropping.

It was quickly replaced with a predatory hunger. There was bloodlust in both of their eyes, a hunger for death and carnage.

'_This is bad…'_ Kagome thought as she reached for her arrows. _'I don't think that we can beat them…'_


	4. Day Two Part Two: My Pet

"Give me the swords." Mugo said.

"Like hell!" Inuyasha said.

"Do you want to save your brother or not?" The female asked.

"Hakari is right." Mugo said. "We have been sent to retrieve the swords."

"If you don't meet our master's demands, your brother will die." Hakari said.

"I know that already!" Inuyasha said. "But why the hell should I give them to you now?! How do I know you won't just take off with them?!"

"Very well." Mugo said. "We gave you a chance at life, and you've carelessly thrown it away."

"Now we get to have some fun." Hakari said, her emotionless façade dropping.

It was quickly replaced with a predatory hunger. There was bloodlust in both of their eyes, a hunger for death and carnage.

'_This is bad…'_ Kagome thought as she reached for her arrows. _'I don't think that we can beat them…' _

Almost as soon as that thought ran through her mind, they attacked. She was surprised when she realized that both Mugo and Hikari were ignoring her. Instead, they both focused their attacks on Inuyasha. Her eyes widened.

_'Oh no... They're taking advantage of his injuries so they can beat him easier... I have to stop them!'_

She quickly loaded an arrow and fired. It hit Hikari but didn't do any damage. Instead, it simply bounced off of her like it was nothing. Before Kagome even had a chance to blink, she was on the ground clutching her now badly bleeding side. her bow was broken in half and her arrows were scattered around everywhere. Hikari was standing over her smirking. She licked the bloody claws on her right hand, seeming to enjoy the fresh taste of blood.

"My, my... Someone's in a rush to die." She murmured in a silky, predatory voice. "Don't worry, your time will come soon enough..."

Before Kagome had a chance to react, Hikari jumped away. Mugo did the same. The landed at exactly the same time, side by side, about twenty feet away from Kagome and Inuyasha.

"We'll be seeing you both soon." Hikari said. "Oh, and Inuyasha?"

"What the hell do you want?!" Inuyasha yelled as he struggled to sit up from where he was lying on the ground.

"Your brother's alive. For now."

Just like that, they were gone. Kagome slowly sat up, wincing at the pain in her side. Her wound was bleeding badly, but she couldn't tend to it. All of her medical supplies were in her backpack, and her backpack had been flung quite a distance away from her when Hikari had attacked her. Just when Inuyasha finally managed to sit up, they heard familiar voices calling to them.

"Inuyasha! Kagome!"

Kagome tilted her head to the sky, shielding her eyes against the light.

"Shippo?"

Seemingly out of nowhere, Kirara appeared. She landed in on the ground near Kagome's backpack and Sango, Miroku, and Shippo jumped off of her back. Sango scooped up Kagome's back pack and ran over to her.

"Kagome, what happened?!" She demanded as she began pulling out bandages and medicines.

"We were attacked by these twins." Kagome replied.

"Twins?" Miroku questioned as he took in the damage done to the surrounding area.

Kagome nodded.

"They started off looking like these giant dog demons. But... They were... _different_ somehow. Like they'd been... _altered_ somehow."

"Altered? What do you mean?" Sango asked.

"Sango, they were different. _Way_ different. There were so much bigger... And at first, they _literally_ had no emotions. Then out of nowhere there was this insane blood lust in them... Almost like someone had control of what they felt and didn't felt, did and didn't do, said and didn't say..."

Kagome's voice trailed off for a moment.

"I've heard of things like this before. In my time." She said quietly. "There are all these people saying that scientists have discovered ways to completely control people an animals somehow in my world, whether they want to be controlled or not. Supposedly they've found ways to alter appearance, strength, intelligence. and more, too... It's frightening..."

"Scientists?" Shippo asked. "Those people you told us about who invent things?"

Kagome nodded.

"Do you think that somehow that's connected with this?" Sango asked.

"Maybe..." Kagome murmured.

"What the hell does it matter?!" Inuyasha demanded. "Either way, we have to beat them and save Sesshomaru! We don't have time to be sitting around here talking like this!"

"Now, now Inuyasha." Miroku said. "Be patient. Let us treat your wounds first."

"Keh!" Inuyasha replied. "What the hell are you guys doing here, anyway? I thought I told you to stay behind."

"We're your friends, Inuyasha! And we're Sesshomaru's friends too! We're coming whether you like it or not!" Shippo said.

"Shippo's right. We're not going to sit back and watch while you two go off on your own." Sango said.

"Feh! Whatever!" Inuyasha replied.

"For what it's worth, _I'm_ glad you guys are coming." Kagome said with a smile.

"Good. I was worried I'd have to beat some sense into _both_ of you." Sango said.

Kagome giggled.

"No, just him." She said.

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled.

When Sango was done tending to Kagome and Inuyasha's wounds, everyone took off again. This time, they were determined not to stop unless it was absolutely necessary. They'd wasted too much time. The sun was already beginning to set... They'd go as long and as far as they could before stopping, and they'd rest only as long a necessary. No longer. They couldn't afford to waste anymore time. Not with Sesshomaru's life still on the line.

_"Your brother's alive. For now."_

* * *

_'Damned... Handcuffs...!'_ Sesshomaru thought angrily as he struggled to escape his restraints.

When he'd regained consciousness earlier after being tortured to the point where he'd almost started wishing he could just die already, he was locked away in a cell with his wrists cuffed together behind his back. No amount of struggling seemed to do him any good, and finally, he just gave up. It was clear that he wasn't escaping at all this way. After a few minutes, he decided he may as well keep trying. It wasn't like he had anything better to do, anyway. The second he started struggling again, however, the cuffs began to glow and this purple-ish, black-ish electricity came shooting out. He'd been electrocuted a few times before during his many long years of life, but neither time had it hurt this badly. He bit back a cry of pain and simply gritted his teeth as he waited for it to stop. When it finally did, he was light-headed and dizzy. He honestly felt like he was going to black out again.

"Now now, my little pet. We mustn't do things like that." Said a familiar voice. "Unless you _want_ to get hurt."

"I'm not... Your pet!" Sesshomaru said through still gritted teeth as he struggled to remain conscious.

"Oh, but you are. Or at least, you _will_ be."

Sesshomaru didn't reply. He didn't feel as though his captive's remark deserved any kind of retort.

"Sleep, my little pet. Tomorrow's another big day."

As much as he tried to fight it, Sesshomaru could feel the darkness closing in. He was losing consciousness fast. Finally, he completely blacked out. His body slumped to the floor, pale and lifeless, as a malevolent voice cackled in the darkness.


	5. Day Three Part One: The Escape

Despite how hopeless the whole thing seemed, Kagome was detrmined. They _were_ going to make it in time. They would definitely save him. She refused to accept any other ending to this tale. Inuyasha, however, was more grumpy than anything else. He seemed to be feeling especially pessimistic today.

_'Damned f-ing brother... Why the hell did you let that guy get you, anyway? Why the hell weren't you paying attention?!'_

He frowned slightly.

_'That definitely isn't like him. He _never_ drops his gaurd like that... He's not careless. So why...?'_

**_"It wasn't easy, sneaking up on him like that. But I have to admit, I was quite lucky. It seems he was a bit distracted for some reason._**_**"**_

_'What could have been have been distracting him so much?'_ Kagome wondered.

_**"It seems he was a bit distracted for some reason. Do you know why? I suppose I'll let you figure that one out on your own."**_

_'That man... He obviously knows something we don't. But what? And why didn't Sesshomaru tell us something was bothering him? Well... I guess I know the answer to that... He's never really been one to talk about his thoughts and feelings much, if at all.'_

She sighed inwardly and forced herself to focus on the area around them. If there was an enemy nearby, they needed to be ready. They'd been caught off gaurd before, and that had cost them dearly. They'd lost a large amount of time, and both she and Inuyasha had been wounded in the short fight that had ensued. They couldn't afford to let that happen again.

* * *

_'Come on, come on...'_ Sesshomaru thought in frustration as he continued to struggle with his restraints.

He was so close... He could almost slip his hand free from those damned handcuffs. Finally, he manged to get it out. One hand was soon followed by another, and then he was on his feet. He instantly began searching for a way out. While he was still very much a child, he could still break through any weak point in the cell if he ever found one. Sure enough, in the back of the cell, there was section of weakened stones which had been used to make the wall. They had obviously been strong at one point, but they were much older now than they had been then. With one good solid kick, that section of the wall came crumbling down. Not wasting any time, he quickly ran out. He was lucky. Apparently, his little cell was right at the edge of the castle. Without any hesitation, he ran out into the wilderness.

* * *

"Hey, hold up a minute!" Inuyasha said, skidding to a halt.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Sango asked as Kirara landed on the ground.

"I hear something. Hush up a minute." He replied.

Deciding it was better to do as he said rather than argue, everyone obeyed. Inuyasha's ears twitched a little as he listened intently. After a moment, he spoke up again.

"Keh. Whatever it was, it's gone now. Come on. Let's get moving." He said.

"Right." Sango said.

Without another word, they all took off again. Moments later, a slap could be heard echoing throughout the air.

"MIROKU, YOU LECH!"

* * *

"He escaped?!"

"It seems that way, sir."

"What are you doing _here _still, then?! Go get him!"

"Yes sir!"

Mugo and Hikari disappeared and he slammed the door shut.

_'That brat! How did he escape?!'_

After a few moments, his anger faded and a slow smile spread across his face.

"No matter. They'll bring him back soon enough. And when they do..."

He laughed out loud as he imagined the many various ways he could punish Sesshomaru for what he'd done. He could hardly wait.

_'Just you wait, Sesshomaru... I'll break you yet.'_


	6. Day Three Part Two: I Get What I Want

_'This is bad, this is bad, this bad!' _Sesshomaru thought as he skirted around a large tree and ran as fast as he could through the small clearing he found himself in.

They were after him. He knew they were. That man's two servants. Whether he really was outrunning them or if they were simply prolonging the chase was unknown to him at this point. But he wasn't about to stop and find out. Forcing himself to run faster, he disappeared back into the woods. He just hoped he could escape them. He didn't want to go back to that horrible place. Never again.

* * *

For second time, Inuyasha skidded to a stop, his ears twitching slightly as he listened intently.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "Are hearing the thing from before?"

He didn't respond at first. Then suddenly, his entire body tensed.

"It's them." He said. "Mugo and Hakari."

"Where?" She asked.

He pointed in diagonally to the left of them.

"That way somewhere. We're about an hour away from them." He replied.

"Does that mean we're close to where we we're headed?" Sango asked.

"Let's hope so." Inuyasha replied.

Without another word, they took off again. About twenty minutes later, they stopped again when they heard a loud explosion. The ground shook violently, and Inuyasha whipped his head to the side, looking in the direction he'd pointed to earlier. Smoke was pouring out of a clearing in the woods about ten minutes from where they were.

"What's going on?" Sango asked.

"Whatever it is, it isn't good." Miroku replied.

"Is it them? Those two guys who attacked you two?" Shippo asked, looking at Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Yeah... I think so." Inuyasha said.

"Come on! We need to check it out!" Kagome said.

"We don;t have time! We need to get going!"

"Inuyasha, we _have_ to!"

He looked at her. She was acting a lot like she did back when they were searching for jewel shards. Seeming to sense things no one else could.

"Why?!" He demanded.

"I don't know, okay?! I just have a feeling..."

He growled softly before changing directions and taking off toward the blast site.

"Let's hope feeling's right then." He muttered.

* * *

Sesshomaru coughed, struggling to break away from the man who was currently holding him against a tree by his throat, strangling him. In response, the man choked him harder. Sesshomaru struggled, but he wasn't having any luck breaking free. He cursed himself for being so weak. He _hated_ this. Absolutely hated it. Growling inwardly, he summoned all the strength he could muster and kicked the man hard in the abdomen. The man doubled over, clutching his stomach, and Sesshomaru was dropped to the ground. He coughed repeatedly, gasping for air.

"You insolent whelp!" The man's sister yelled.

He barely managed to roll to the side it time before her blade lodged into the ground where he'd been mere seconds ago. He immediately regained his feet, still panting, and faced his opponents. He wasn't sure how he'd been able to summon up so much strength earlier, but he didn't think he'd be able to do it again. He just hoped what little strength he had currently would be enough for now. At least until he figure out some other way to fight them.

* * *

"How much farther?" Kagome asked.

"A few minutes still. Be patient." Inuyasha replied.

She huffed but didn't argue. After what felt like years, they finally reached the clearing. The got there just in time to see Sesshomaru get thrown across the clearing. He slammed into a tree a few hundred yards from them, knocking the wind out of him. He was in very bad condition. He was covered in wounds, and he was bleeding quite a bit. In an instant, Inuyasha had Tetsusaiga out and was in front of him, protecting him. Sesshomaru didn't get up. He just lay there, panting heavily, seemingly unaware of their presence. He was barely conscious. Sango and Miroku hopped off of Kirara, drawing their weapons as they did so, and they, along with Kirara, joined Inuyasha. Shippo hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. Before she had a chance to do anything, they fight began once more. Only this time, Mugo and Hakari weren't attacking Sesshomaru. Though it was clear that they wanted to. Kagome ran over to him and gently scooped him up into her arms, cradling him as if he really a tiny, helpless child. He didn't respond at all. It was clear that he'd lost consciousness. As if on cue, Kirara ran over to them. She caught Inuyasha's gaze, and he nodded. She needed to take Sesshomaru and get out of here. Not wasting any time questioning her decision, she got on Kirara and they took off.

* * *

"Tch... Can they do anything right?" The man muttered as he stood up. "Well if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. While they're distracting Inuyasha, I'll just take back what is mine."

With a smirk, he exited his castle and took off into the air. With any luck, he'd intercept the demon cat's path within the hour. He couldn't help but laugh as he pictured Kagome's shocked face when she saw him. He couldn't wait. Soon he'd have not one, but _two_ prisoners to use as bait for Inuyasha and the others.

_'No matter what, __I _will_ get the swords. Just you wait, Inuyasha.'_

He laughed again before his face turned serious and anger burned in his eyes.

"I get what I want. Always."

**A/N Eh... Sorry for the bad cliffhanger, guys. I'll try to get better about that. Also, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, I promise! Don't kill me if it takes a while please! In the meantime, enjoy!**


	7. Day Three Part Three: Coming Together

**A/N I made this one extra long for you guys. Enjoy!**

Kagome froze when she heard a tiny whimper. She'd been carrying Sesshomaru to a small stream she'd found near the clearing where Kirara had landed so she could clean his wounds a bit when he finally started to regain consciousness. He shifted slightly in her arms and she carefully re-situated him so she could hold him with only one arm. She brought up her other arm and gently brushed his bloody, matted bangs out of his face with her fingertips. His bangs had grown, just a bit. They'd already been long before, since he hadn't gotten around to cutting them before this happened, but now...

"Maru?" She asked quietly, hoping to wake him fully.

He still didn't wake. She pulled her hand away, accidentally shaking him a bit. He seemed to wince slightly and another whimper escaped. So he _was_ conscious. If only slightly. Looking at him sympathetically, she continued on her way to the stream.

* * *

_'What happened...?'_ Sesshomaru wondered groggily.

The last thing he remembered was... What? He wasn't sure. Everything seemed so distant and far away... Even his memories. He tried to open his eyes, to move, to do _anything_, but he couldn't. Almost like he was paralyzed... After what felt like years, he drifted off again.

When he woke next, he was a bit more aware of his surroundings. He felt a cool breeze blow past him, and he couldn't help enjoy it. It was the first breeze he'd felt in what seemed an eternity. He also realized that he felt like he was being moved. Carried, maybe. Had he been recaptured? For a second, he thought he heard a noise, but he wasn't sure. He moved slightly in a futile attempt to get away. Suddenly, whoever or whatever was carrying him stopped. He felt like he was being moved again, ever so slightly. He tried to open his eyes again, but he still couldn't. Once again, he thought he heard something, but he wasn't sure. A moment later, something shook him, causing pain to shoot through his entire body. He heard a whimper, and something told him that it came from him. While he couldn't do much else, he at least managed to make himself shut up. The pain didn't stop, however, and he soon found himself losing consciousness once more.

Next thing he knew, he was waking up to the feeling of a wet cloth on his forehead. A hand touched his head, and finally, he managed to open his eyes.

* * *

Kagome nearly gasped when Sesshomaru finally woke up. He looked around in confusion, clearly not knowing where he was. He struggled to get away for a brief moment. The rag fell from his forehead and she immediately tried to calm him.

"Sessho, it's okay! You're safe!" She said.

He instantly stilled, seeming more confused now than he'd been before.

"Kagome...?" He asked, his voice sounding tiny and frightened.

It almost made her forget that he really wasn't a child.

"Yeah. It's me, honey."

He almost went weak with relief. Kagome reached her hand out to brush his bangs out of his face again. They were covering his eyes. She pushed them out of his face and gasped at what she saw. Two blind, white eyes looked right past her, not seeing anything. That explained part of the reason why he hadn't realized it was her. But he should have smelled her... Right? She gently brushed her thumb over one of his eyelids before speaking.

"Maru... What happened?" She asked quietly.

He shrank away slightly, clearly not wanting to talk about it. That was when she saw it. It was faint, clearly healing, but for now, it was still visible. A thin red line swiping from the right side of his face to the left. The left side definitely seemed to have fared a little better than the right side had.

"He cut your eyes?" She whispered, not wanting to believe it.

He nodded numbly, struggling not to think about it. Kagome was shocked. Was this part of the torture that man had mentioned in the note? It sure seemed like it. It made her sick to think that anyone could do this to a person and actually _enjoy_ it. What was worse, it was clear that the man had done far worse things to him than just take his sight. Now that he was safe, the full effect of what he'd been through came crashing down on him. She'd never seen him so scared before. It was clear that the man had been trying to break him, mind, body, and soul. He'd nearly succeeded, it seemed. She reached up to his head again, examining the bandage she's wrapped around his forehead. That head wound was horrible... Like someone had slammed his head into the ground over and over and over again...

_'Maybe that's why he couldn't smell me... Head wounds like that can damage the senses...'_

"Maru, can you smell anything at all?" She asked, seeking confirmation.

He shook his head. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him and lifted him up again. He yelped a tiny bit, clearly startled, and clung to the sleeve on her shoulder with his tiny hands. She re-positioned her arms so that she was holding him just like she would any small child (A/N You know, with one arm under their legs?) and placed a hand gently on the back of his head. She gently stroked his hair, whispering soothingly to him as she started walking back to where Kirara and Shippo were. After a few minutes, he slowly laid his head down on her shoulder, never releasing his hold on her shirt.

* * *

"Damnit! Don't this things ever die?!" Inuyasha practically yelled in frustration and he dodged another attack.

"It seems not." Miroku said through gritted teeth as he struggled to block Hakari's blade with his staff.

Sango, however, had a much bigger problem than they did. She was trapped, and some wild animal from the woods seemed to have taken a liking to her. It was obviously starving, and with her dangling from a tree by her wrists with some magical chain, she was helpless. Miroku and Inuyasha had already tried several times to get to her, but had only succeeded in getting injured. The odds of them winning didn't seem very high. Suddenly, Inuyasha was knocked to the ground. Tetsusaiga went flying through the air and impaled the ground quite a ways away. Just as Mugo was about to stab Inuyasha's heart, unexpected reinforcements came. There was a rush of air and suddenly, Mugo too was on the ground, sporting a red footprint on his otherwise perfect face.

"Can't you handle anything on your own, Mutt?" Koga asked, smirking down at Inuyasha.

"Keh!" Inuyasha said simply.

Koga offered him a hand and helped him up. While they still fought often, they were no longer enemies. Rivals maybe, but not enemies. They were as close to being friends as they could get. As if on cue, Hakkaku and Ginta appeared. Ginta, seemingly copying Koga, kicked Hakari in the face and she too was knocked to the ground. He laughed.

"Now they match!" He said.

Hakkaku quickly went to the aid of Sango. He managed to chase off the beast and somehow freed her.

"Amateurs." He said. "Ayame's magic traps are stronger than this."

"She makes traps?" Sango asked, rubbing one of her wrists with her hand.

Hakkaku nodded.

"Yeah, but only when she's mad at Koga. Then she just traps him somewhere and keeps him there until he apologizes."

"Ahem, can we focus please?" Ginta asked. "There're still two scary dudes ready to kill us all over there."

"Um... One of them is a girl." Koga pointed out.

"You can discuss that later... In the AFTERLIFE!" Hakari yelled.

She and Mugo charged, but Inuyasha and the others were ready. Though it took a while, they eventually managed to defeat the twins. Inuyasha and the others sheathed their weapons (those who had them) and Koga turned to Inuyasha, a confused look on his face.

"Where's Kagome?" He asked. "Or Sesshomaru, for that matter. It would've been much easier to beat those two if he'd helped."

"He couldn't. Kagome had to take him somewhere safe." Sango said.

"Why couldn't he?" Koga asked, clearly more confused.

Sighing irritably, Inuyasha quickly explained everything that had happened during the past few days.

"Dude..." Hakkaku said in shock.

"No way..." Ginta said in equal shock.

Koga stood there, arms crossed and frowning slightly, for a moment before speaking.

"So let me get this straight." He said. "Some random stranger turned Sesshomaru into a child, abducted him, demanded that you guys give him the swords, then tried to kill everyone?"

"Pretty much." Sango said.

"That's it in a nutshell, basically." Miroku agreed.

"_Fuck_ this is bad..." Koga muttered. "How does this kind of thing keep happening to you guys?"

"Who knows?" Sango said with a shrug.

"It doesn't matter right now." Inuyasha said. "We need to find Kagome and Sesshomaru before that guy does."

"Wait, you mean he's going after them?" Ginta asked.

"Probably." Miroku said. "But even if he's not, we need to find them just in case."

"Better safe than sorry." Koga agreed. "Let's go."

Without another word, he took off.

"Hey, who said you could come with?!" Inuyasha demanded, running after them.

Sango and Miroku ran after them, hoping that they'd somehow be able to keep up. But since Hakkaku and Ginta were about as slow as they were, they at least didn't have to worry about being left completely behind.

"Wait for us!" Hakkaku and Ginta cried, running after them.

"You guys are too slow!" Koga yelled over his shoulder as he disappeared into the woods.

* * *

_'Not much longer...'_ The man thought eagerly as he continued to fly towards his targets.

It wouldn't be too much longer now. They weren't very far away now. Another ten minutes or so, and he'd be there. He couldn't wait to see the look on Kagome's face when he finally got there. And Sesshomaru... He fed off of his fear. It was wonderful knowing that only _he_ was capable of striking fear into Sesshomaru's heart. But he planned to do much worse than that once he finally got them back to his castle. With a smirk, he continued on his way.

* * *

By the time they reached the spot where Shippo and Kirara were, the sun was beginning to set and Sesshomaru had fallen asleep. Or rather, dozed of. He still clung to her, as if he were afraid of being left alone. Not that she was planning on letting him go anytime soon. The fact that he was there, in her arms, was the only thing keeping her calm right now. Otherwise, she was sure she'd be breaking down. Shippo and a now tiny Kirara both ran up to her when they saw her.

"Is he okay?" Shippo asked. "Is he going to live?"

Though Kagome was really the only one who'd noticed, Sesshomaru and Shippo had somehow hrown really close. Shippo seemed to look up to him like a dad, and Sesshomaru in turn seemed to treat him like his son almost. He even went as far as to protect the kit from Inuyasha's bullying; something only Kagome had really done before. This whole thing had really scared Shippo, almost like he felt like he was losing a second father. She nodded.

"Yeah... I think it'll just take some time." She said, stroking Sesshomaru's hair gently.

He stirred slightly, but soon drifted off again. Kagome and Shippo boarded Kirara again and flew off in the direction of Inuyasha and the others. The fight seemed to have ended. She just hoped that everyone was okay.

* * *

"Tch."

He'd missed them. He'd just _barely_ missed them. Growling softly in frustration, he took off again, following Kagome's scent. This time, he wouldn't be late.


	8. Day Three Part Four: the Fight Rages On

**A/N Fun Fact: This chapter was originally going to be called "Are You Ready?" ^_^ **

_"Fuck this is bad..." Koga muttered. "How does this kind of thing keep happening to you guys?"_

_"Who knows?" Sango said with a shrug._

_"It doesn't matter right now." Inuyasha said. "We need to find Kagome and Sesshomaru before that guy does."_

_"Wait, you mean he's going after them?" Ginta asked._

_"Probably." Miroku said. "But even if he's not, we need to find them just in case."_

_"Better safe than sorry." Koga agreed. "Let's go." _

* * *

_Kagome and Shippo boarded Kirara again and flew off in the direction of Inuyasha and the others. The fight seemed to have ended. She just hoped that everyone was okay. _

* * *

_"Tch."_

_He'd missed them. He'd just barely missed them. Growling softly in frustration, he took off again, following Kagome's scent. This time, he wouldn't be late._

* * *

"How much farther?" Shippo asked from where he sat on Kagome's shoulder.

"I don't think it'll be much longer." Kagome replied. "A few minutes, maybe."

"Do you think they won?"

"I hope so."

"What if those two got away again?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to track them down eventually."

"Maybe we could follow them back to where that guy is."

"Maybe. We'd need Inuyasha for that."

"Isn't Sesshomaru's sense of smell better?"

"It was..."

Shippo looked at her in confusion as she gently stroked Sesshomaru's matted, blood-stained hair, but said nothing. Not long afterward, they heard a familiar voice from somewhere below them.

"Can't you fools run any faster?" Koga yelled from where he stood in a small clearing. He was facing a large cluster of trees with his arms crossed impatiently.

"You're too damn fast!" Inuyasha yelled back, causing Sesshomaru to jump awake.

He blinked in confusion and looked down, though he couldn't see anything. He still clung to Kagome's shirt. but she noticed that his fear from earlier seemed to have dissipated for the most part. However, he was obviously still tired. It seemed like he really hadn't gotten any sleep since he'd been kidnapped. She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Inuyasha and Koga start to argue. She sighed and Kirara landed nearby the two of them. Their fight instantly stopped and everyone came running over to them.

"Did you guys beat them? They didn't get away did they?" Shippo asked.

Sango shook her head.

"No, they didn't get away. We won, thanks to Koga and his friends." She said. "I don't think we would've been able to beat them without their help."

"Damn right!" Koga said, smirking triumphantly.

"Wrong!" Inuyasha declared angrily. "I would've beaten them easily!"

"Really? Because by the time I got there, you were on the ground without a weapon about to be stabbed."

"You damn wolf!"

Inuyasha lunged for him, but Kagome quickly stopped him.

"Inuyasha SIT!" She yelled.

Inuyasha crashed into the ground, muttering a string of colorful curses. Sesshomaru winced slightly at the sound of the crash, and it occured to her that, for some reason, it had hurt his ears. It had never seemed to bother him before... When Inuyasha finally managed to pull himself to his feet, he turned his attention to her and Sesshomaru. He looked at Sesshomaru for a long moment, taking in his brother's awful condition. Finally, he growled softly to himself.

"That bastard's gonna pay..." He muttered.

Everyone else nodded in agreement, but Sesshomaru didn't respond. Inuyasha forced himself to calm down before speaking again.

"So... He's okay? Physically, anyway..." He asked quietly.

Kagome sighed softly.

"Mostly..." She said.

"What do you mean?" Sango asked, stepping closer.

Without a word, Kagome gently brushed Sesshomaru's bangs out of his face, revealing his eyes. Everyone gasped, and Sesshomaru deliberately looked away. He didn't seem to like having everyone's attention on him like this.

"And he can't smell anything either..." Kagome added quietly.

"What they hell did they do...?" Koga asked, seeming equally upset, even though he'd never seemed to like Sesshomaru any more than he "liked" Inuyasha.

Before anyone had a chance to reply, something slammed into the ground nearby. Dust, dirt, leaves, rocks, and all sorts of other debris were sent flying into the air, making it impossible to see. Everyone drew their weapons, not knowing what to expect. Suddenly, Kagome was knocked to the ground. It felt like someone had shoved her. Her eyes widened when she realized she no longer had Sesshomaru. As the dust began to cleart, she heardd an evil, almost manic laughter ring throughout the area. She quickly regained her feet and looked around, trying to locate Sesshomaru. Her eyes widened when she finally found him. An unfamiliar man had him by the scruff of his neck, high above the trees. Sesshomaru was struggling against him, but he couldn't break away. Everyone could sense his fear. It didn't take a genius to figure who this man was. There was no mistaking who he was. It was the man who'd kidnapped and tortured him. The man who wanted the world's most powerful swords for some unknown reason. The man who seemed determined to kill them all, even despite his ransom. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed hatefully.

"Let him go!" He shouted, gripping Tetsusaiga's handle tightly.

"If you insist." The man said, smirking evilly.

Without warning, he let go of Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru fell far, but thankfully managed to catch himself on a tree branch. He quickly got down to the ground and ran back over to Kagome. He was trembling all over, and there was no mistaking just how afraid he was. Even Inuyasha, who normally was horrible at noticing other people's feelings seemed to notice this change in his brother, and it seemed to make his angrier. Without warning, the man attacked. Immediately, it was chaos. More dust and debris were flung into the air, preventing them from seeing much of anything. Kagome lost sight of everyone but Shippo, who was still on her shoulder. Swallowing hard and summoning her courage, she grabbed her bow and loaded an arrow. No matter what, this had to end today.

Sesshomaru stayed perfectly still where he was, listening hard. His ears were straining, trying to pick up any sound at all. But even his hearing had been damaged. It was hard for him to hear much. He felt strangely off balance without his hearing and smell, the two senses he'd always relied heavily on. He was used to not being able to see. He'd been born blind. He didn't start seeing things until he was fourteen, and that was only because a master healer had, at his father's request (and heavy payment), in a sense, healed his eyes. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. That man had hurt him. He'd tortured him. He made him afraid. So what? That wasn't what mattered right now. He pushed all his feelings and memories away, focusing only on the present. He needed to focus. Straining his ears even more, he continued to listen. Finally, he heard something. He barely managed to duck in time, narrowly avoiding getting stabbed by his torturer's sword. Not wasting any time, he landed a solid kick somewhere on the man's body. He wasn't entirely sure where at first, but when he heard the _whoosh_ of air escaping the man's lungs, he managed to figure it out. He was pretty sure the man said something, but he wasn't entirely sure what. He dodged another attack only to get hit from the other side by the man's unarmed hand. His fist connected with his cheek, and he was spun around by the sheer force of it. He quickly recovered himself and did his best to retalliate.

After what felt like years, the fight finally seemed to be drawing to a close. Inuyasha and the others were certain that they were winning. That is, until the man, in a final act of desperation, unleashed a horde of monster on the group. With everyone distracted, He grabbed his prizes (both of them), and disappeared.


End file.
